Shoemakers&#39; lasts



A ril 2, 1963 1.. D. RAYMOND SHOEMAKERS LASTS Original Filed June 10.1960 INVENTOR LORENZO n. RAYMOND Y Olud M ATTORNEYS United States Patent0 M 3,933,336 SHDEMAKERS LA TS Lorenzo Bat/id Raymond, North Baiwyn,Victoria, Austraiin, assignor to G. N. Raymond Limited, oliing= wood,Victoria, Austraiia, a company of Victoria Original application June 19,15360, Ser. No. 35,173, new Patent No. 3,034,169, dated May 15, 1962.Divided and this application Mar. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 181,332

Cia'nns priority, appiication Anstraiia Feb. 5, rate iaims. (Cl. l2-145}This invention relates to shoemakers lasts.

In the normal process of manufacturing shoes with leather soles, asdistinguished from those having vulcanized soles, the last is generallyconstructed of wood and is so designed that the heel portion may bepivoted on the fore part portion thus causing a shrinking or decrease inthe overall length so that the last may be removed from the shoe whichhas been formed around it.

Such prior types of last have usually been made of a single piece ofhard and fine grained wood and have generally been divided, for exampleby a band-saw or similar tool, into two portions which are pivoted toallow such relative movement as is necessary to permit withdrawal of thelast from the completed shoe.

Prior types of last have generally achieved such pivoting motion byemploying one or more metal links retained at or adjacent theirextremities by a plurality of pins, the links and associated pins beingso disposed that the relative rotation of the heel and fore partportions will result in a general longitudinal contraction of the lastas a whole.

Blocks from which lasts are made contain a substantial excess of wood sothat a variety of heights of heels and widths of fittings may be formedfrom each block. Usually one particular length of block will provideonly for a limited number of sizes, there being four or five blocksrequired to cover the full range of childrens, womens, and mens lasts.

The comparatively large volume of the blocks hitherto generally foundnecessary presents difliculties in drying the wood to a moisture contentof the required uniformity or homogeneity.

Thus in the past difliculty has often been experienced in obtaininglasts, particularly when out from the inner portion of the block, whichwill not deform by changnng shape in excess of prescribed limits, due toabsorption of atmospheric moisture.

Furthermore, it has hitherto been generally found that unless theposition of the pins associated with the links mutually retaining theheel and fore part portions is closely controlled, difiiculty isexperienced in effecting the pivoting movement necessary prior toremoval of the last, and an attempt to do so may cause a breakage in thewood, especially in the region of the pins and links, thus resulting ina high percentage of reject lasts and hence a substantial wastage ofmaterial. Should the pins however be too far apart, the assemblycomprising the fore part and heel portions will be excessively loosecausing inadequate support of the shoe during processing operations.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a last which isreadily adaptable to mass production, and which will permit a similarcross section of timber to be used for the heel and fore part sectionsand which will enable reduced stocks of last blocks to be held as astandard timber section to be used for both the heel and fore partsections.

Another :object is to provide a last which will allow a greater degreeof mechanical precision of the portions in Efibdfidh Patented Apr. 2,i963 the rou h state b machines bein more readil capable ofg y agripping the regularly shaped Wood sections.

Another object is to provide a method of producing a last, which methodmaterially reduces the amount of labour and time hitherto generallyrequired in the production of known types of last.

Further objects of the present invention are to reduce the problem ofdrying and also the cost and time of manufacture by having less timberto remove in the roughing and finishing operations.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent hereinafter.

Accordingly the present invention provides an improved last comprising awoden fore part, a wooden heel part and two intermediate portions,moulded from plastic material, which are secured at their remote ends tosaid fore part and said heel part respectively, and are interconnectedat their facing ends to enable the last to be broken preparatory toremoval of a lasted shoe therefrom.

it is preferred that the wooden fore part and the wooden heel part havetongues or like portions projecting rearwardly and forwardly,respectively, the intermediate portions being moulded so as to fill thegaps between the tongues and thus bond the intermediate portions totheir respective wooden parts. This embodiment thus provides a largeinterface between the heel and fore parts and their associatedintermediate portions, and hence a large bonding surface, whose areadepends upon the number and depth of the tongues.

The present invention further provides a method of producing a last,comprising moulding the two intermediate portions from plastic material,adhesively mounting each said portion on a wooden block, linking theplastic portions so as to allow limited relative movement therebetween,and shaping the blocks and their associated plastic portions into a lastwith one block forming a heel part and the other, a fore part, theextent of said relative movement being sufi'icient to allow for breakingthe last.

By breaking the last, is meant causing such relative movement of itscomponent parts from. their operative or unbroken position, as isnecessary to withdraw a lasted shoe from the last. Such movement may besubstantially translational, using, for example, a planar interfacebetween the intermediate portions, or may involve a relat-ive rotationbetween the components, the latter being achieved when a curvedinterface is employed. In any event it is highly desirable to provide atoggle action between the operative and inoperative positions, that is,an action such that although the last is stable in either position, asubstantial amount of force is required to break or unbreak it.

The pivot portions may be moulded to close tolerances thereby permittinga greater control over the tension mutually retaining the heel and forepart sections.

But in order that the invention may be better understood reference willnow be made to the accompanying drawing which is to be considered aspart of this specification and read herewith.

FIGURE 1 shows a preferred form of last in accordance with thisinvention, in its operative position.

FIGURES 2 to 6 inclusive illustrate various representative steps in apreferred embodiment of the process provided by the present invention.

The last illustrated in FIGURE 1 includes a wooden fore part 7 havingrearwardly extending tongues 8 with intervening gaps 9, and a woodenheel part it) with forwardly extending tongues 11 spaced by interveninggaps 12. Two intermediate portions 13, 14 associated respectively withparts '7 and it are plastic mouldings,

acsasse 3 the plastic material filling the gaps between the tongues soas to bond the intermediate portions 13, Il ito their respective woodenparts '7, it).

Each intermediate plastic portion has a cavity suitably located toaccommodate link means for interconnecting them. The cavity, in thedrawing visible in the forward portion only, advantageously comprises atran verse bore communicating with a longitudinal recess 16, therecesses having apertures oppositely disposed in the facing ends 1'7, 1?of the intermediate portions, and the articulative means comprising alink it) perforated adjacent its ends by perforations 19a, 1% the linkbeing adapted to bridge the intermediate portions. Each transverse bore15 is fitted with a pin, the pins passing through perforations 19a, 1%so that the interconnection affords a toggle action between theoperative and broken positions of the last.

I The last is advantageously provided with a metal, fibre or leatherstrip 28 located on an upper surface of the heel part it; andcorresponding intermediate portion 14, this strip forming astrengthening base for a thimble-receiving shaft 29. When it is desiredto break or unbrean the last a thimble may thus be readily inserted toretain the heel part in a substantially fixed position, while the forepart is moved relatively to it.

Referring now in particular to FlGURES 2 and 3, a preferred method offorming a last comprises shaping end parts 29, 21 of two wooden blocksinto a plurality of tongues 22, 23 respectivelyQthe projections beingspaced by intervening gaps 2 25 respectively. Moulds (not shown) havingappropriate moulding faces are mounted so as to overlie the shaped endparts, and plastic material is compressively injected into each mould sothat the material fills the gaps 2d, 25 to provide a grippingrelationship between the moulding and the associated block. Suchmoulding will in almost every case involve a deformation of the tonguesin the respective wooden block, and the irregularities introducedmaterially assist the bonding adhesion between the molding and thecorresponding block.

Each mould has provision for leaving in the resultant moulding a cavitycomprising a transverse bore communicating with a longitudinal recess(indicated by the dotted lines, FIGS. 4 and 5), to accommodate linkmeans for interconnection of the plastic portions. The moulded face ofthe mould is such that the resultant plastic mouldings will each beprovided with a bearing surface, eg. 26, shaped complementarily to abearing surface 27 on the other moulding so that during the relativemovement of the portions connected by the link means, the complementarybearing surfaces 25, 27 remain substantially incontact.

When the plastic material has set to the required degree the moulds areremoved and the link means engaged whereby the plastic portions togetherwith their associated blocks are connected as shown in FZGURE 6.

It may be desirable to mould one of the plastic portions with its pinalready in position passing through the link. In this case the plasticportions may be connected simply by placing these portions adjacent oneanother with their complementary surfaces 26, 27 in engagement and thelink positioned in both recesses. To complete the connection it now onlyremains to insert the pin in the other intermediate portion so as topass through the vacant perforation in the link 19. The structure shownin FIGURE 6 is then shaped into the desired form of last with one block,for example 21, forming the fore part 7 and the other 2d, the heel partit It will be apparent from the above that the present invention willallow similar cross sections of timber to be used for the heel and forepart sections thus eifecting a substantial saving in time.

The invention will also enable reduced stocks of last blocks to be usedas the standard section of timber em- A ployed for both heel and forepart sections and will permit of an improved degree of mechanicalprecision of the portions in the rough state by machines being morereadily capable of gripping the timber sections. Furthermore, the numberof machine operations hitherto required in forming the pivot portion,and also the problems associated with drying, are materially reduced.

If desired each intermediate portion and its corresponding wooden partmay be formed independently. To this end, the plastic portions areformed in moulds which are advantageously shaped so as to provide in theresulting moulding, in addition to the bearing surface and the cavityaccommodating the link means, a plurality of tongues and interveninggaps. Thus, the moulds may have a configuration such as shown by themember overlying end part 24} in FIGURE 4. The blocks destined to formthe fore and heel parts in the last are shaped so as to provide on eacha surface adapted to register with a complementary surface of thecorrespond ing intermediate portiom'for example, if the moulding has thetongue and groove configuration shown in FIG- URE 4, then thecomplementary portion of the corresponding block it? is shaped such asshown in FIGURES 2 and 4. Each intermediate portion is then mounted onthe relevant end part with their respective complementary surfaces inabutting relationship. Such mounting is preferably effected byapplication of an adhesive to the surfaces. The intermediate portionsmay then be connected, for example by the link means described above,and the structure comprising the connected portions and blocks shapedinto the desired form of last, one block forming a forepart and theother, a heel part, the extent of relative movement between eachintermediate portion and block being sufficient to allow for breakingthe last, as previously described.

In addition, those portions of the last whose shape must be preciselycontrolled may be readily mass produced and the over-all cost ofmanufacture is substantially reduced, since there is now less timber tobe removed, in the roughing and finishing operations.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A method of producing a last, comprising the steps of providing twowooden blocks, moulding and securing an intermediate portion of plasticmaterial on each wooden block, linking the plastic portions so as toallow limited relative movement therebetween, and shaping the blocks andtheir associated plastic portions into a last with one block forming aheel part and the other, a fore part, the extent of said "elativemovement being sufiicient to allow for breaking the last.

2. A method of producing a last according to claim 1 wherein saidplastic intermediate portions are moulded directly on said woodenblocks.

3. A method of producing a last according to claim 1 wherein saidplastic intermediate portions are first moulded apart fromthe woodenblocks and subsequently secured to the wooden blockswith an adhesivematerial.

4. A method of producing a last, comprising shaping two blocks of woodto provide on each a surface adapted to register with a surface of anassociated intermediate last portion, moulding from plastic material anintermediate portion for association with each block, each intermediateportion having a cavity suitably located to accommodate link meanswhereby the intermediate portions are adapted to be connected in movablerelationship, said portions each having a bearing surface shapedcomplementarily to a bearing surface on the other intermediate portionso that during relative movement of the portions the complementarybearing surfaces remain substantially in contact, removing the moulds,attaching each intermediate portion to the corresponding block,connecting the intermediate portions, and shaping the structurecomprising the blocks and solidified intermediate portions into thedesired form of last, one block forming a fore part of said last, andthe other, the heel, the extent of relative movement between eachintermediate portion with its associated block and the other portion andblock being sufficient to allow for breaking the last.

5. A method of producing a last, comprising shaping an end part of eachof two blocks of wood into a plurality of tongues with intervening gaps,moulding on each shaped end part an intermediate portion of plasticmaterial by mounting a mould so as to overlie the end part of thecorresponding block, injecting and compressing the plastic material intothe mould so as to till the gaps and provide a gripping relationshipbetween the completed moulding and associated wooden block, each mouldhaving provision for leaving in the resulting moulding a cavity suitablylocated to accommodate link means whereby the intermediate portions areadapted to be connected in movable relationship, said moulded portionseach having a bearing surface shaped complementarily to a bearingsurface on the other moulded portion so that during relative movement ofthe portions the com plementary bearing surfaces remain substantially incontact, removing the moulds, connecting the intermediate portions andshaping the structure comprising the blocks and solidified intermediateportions into the desired form of last, one block forming a fore part ofsaid last, and the other, the heel, the extent of relative movementbetween each intermediate portion with its associated block and theother portion and block being sufficient to allow for breaking the last.

6. A method of producing a last, comprising shaping an end part of twoblocks of wood into a plurality of tongues with intervening gaps,moulding from plastic material an intermediate portion for associationwith each block, each intermediate portion having a plurality of tongueswith intervening gaps adapted to fit into, and receive, respectively,the gaps and tongues in the corresponding block, a cavity suitablylocated to accommodate link means whereby the intermediate portions areadapted to be connected in rotatable relationship, and a bearing surfaceshaped complementarily to a bearing surface on the other intermediateportion so that during relative movement of the portions thecomplementary bearing surfaces remain substantially in contact,adhesively mounting each intermediate portion to the correspondingblock, connecting said intermediate portions and shaping the structurecomprising the connected portions and blocks into the desired form oflast, one block forming a fore part of said last and the other, a heelpart, the extent of relative movement between each intermediate portionand block being sufiicient to allow for breaking the last.

7. A method of producing a last, comprising shaping two blocks of woodto provide on each a surface adapted to register with a surface of anassociated intermediate last portion, moulding from plastic material anintermediate portion for association with each block, each intermediateportion having a cavity comprising a transverse bore adapted toreceive apin, the bore communieating with a longitudinal recess, the recesses ofthe respective intermediate portions when placed in registration beingarranged to accommodate a link bridging the intermediate portions, thelink being perforated adjacent each of its ends to receive the pins, oneof the pins and the link being moulded in situ in one of theintermediate portions with said one pin being received in one of theperforations of the link, the intermediate portions each having abearing surface shaped complementarily to a bearing surface on the otherintermediate portion so that during relative movement of the portionsthe complementary bearing surfaces remain substantially in con tact,removing the moulds when the moulded intermediate portions havesolidified, connecting the intermediate portions by bringing saidportions together so that the link is received also in the cavity of theother intermediate portion, inserting the other pin in the transversebore of the cavity in the last-mentioned portion, and shaping thestructure comprising the blocks and solidified intermediate portionsinto the desired form of last, one block forming a fore part of saidlast, and the other, the heel, the extent of relative movement betweeneach intermediate portion with its associated block and the otherportion and block being sufiicient to allow for breaking the last.

8. A method of producing a last, comprising the steps of producing twowooden blocks having parts of their surfaces shaped complementarily to ajunction surface of equal area on a plastic portion to be rigidlysecured to the respective wooden block with the respective junctionsurfaces in contact over their whole areas, securing said wooden blocksand said plastic portions at their complementary junction surfaces,linking the respective plastic portions to each other so as to allowlimited relative movement therebetween, and subsequently shaping theblocks and their associated plastic portions into a last with one blockforming a heel part and the other, a forepart, the extent of saidrelative movement being suflicient to allow for breaking the last.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS3,034,160 Raymond May 15, 1962

1. A METHOD OF PRODUCING A LAST, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING TWOWOODEN BLOCKS, MOULDING AND SECURING AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF PLASTICMATERIAL ON EACH WOODEN BLOCK, LINKING THE PLASTIC PORTIONS SO AS TOALLOW LIMITED RELATIVE MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN, AND SHAPING THE BLOCKS ANDTHEIR ASSOCIATED PLASTIC PORTIONS INTO A LAST WITH ONE BLOCK FORMING AHEEL PART AND THE OTHER, A FORE PART, THE EXTENT OF SAID RELATIVEMOVEMENT BEING SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW FOR BREAKING THE LAST.